Antiskidding device for vehicles.



0. H. YOUNG. ANTISKIDDING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

$1 19@? U APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1914- Patented-(1111161,

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

0. H. YOUNG. ANTISKIDDING DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY23,1914. l 1%1 67& Patented June 1, 1915.

2 SHEETS,SHEET 2.

a! INVENTOH OLIVER H. YOUNG, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

ANTISKIDDIlfTG DEVICE FOR VEHICLES.

Specification'of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Applicationfiled May 23, 1914. Serial No. 840,409.

To all whom/5t may concern:

Be it known that I, OLIVER- H. YOUNG, a citizen of the United States,residing at 239 Steuben street, Brooklyn, New York, have invented newvand useful Improvements in Antiskidding Devices for Vehicles, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in antiskidding' devices forvehicles and more especially for automobiles.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a 7 device of thischaracter which may be attached to any type of Wheel withoutnecessitating any alteration in the construction thereof.

Another object is to provide a device of this'character which mayquickly and easily be placed in or out of operative position.

Other objects are to provide a device of this character which will beeflicient in operation, simple in construction, not liable to get out oforder, and inexpensive to manufacture.

' Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed outhereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating several embodiments of theinvention and in which the same reference characters refer to similarparts throughout the several figures, Figure 1 is a side elevationalview of one embodiment of the invention, parts being broken away for thesake of clearness; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of Fig. 1; Fig. 3is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a slightly modified form; Fig. 4 isa vertical sectional view showing a modification of the invention; Fig.5 is a side elevational view of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig.1 showing another modification; Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional viewshowing a further modification of the invention.

Referring to the drawin s,.1 indicates the spokes and 2 the felly o awheel of any suitable construction provided with a tire 3. It willof'course be understood that the invention may be used in connectionwith any form of wheel and any type of tire without in any way departingfromthe spirit of the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing,

4 indicates brackets of any suitable construction which are adapted tobe secured to the wheel in any suitable manner, and which support anannular member 5 provided with outwardly extending flan es 6, 6. Bars 7are reciprocatingly carrie by the annular member 5 and have their outerends secured in any suitable manner to resilient members 8 which have adouble looped or S shaped formation. As shown in Fig. l the members 8are united to one another by substan tially straight portions 8. Theresilient members are preferably formed of tempered steel or the like inorder to provide the required elasticity and strength. To the lowerportion of the looped shaped members 8 are secured ground engagingmembers 9 which are preferably provided With a concave lower surface.

Rotatably supported in grooves 10 of the flanges 6 is a ring 11 providedwith inclined slots'12 adapted to receive pins 13 carried by thesupporting rods 7, as clearly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. It will beunderstood that as the ring 11 is turned each of the pins 13 will becaused to travel up or down its cooperating inclined slots 12 therebyraising or lowering the supporting rod 7 associated therewith. As shownin Figs. 1 and 2 the ground engaging members 9 are in their lower oroperative position, and they would be raised to occupy their inoperativeposition by turning the ring 11 in a clockwise direction, which movementof the ring will cause the pins 13 to ride up the inclined slots 12 andinto engagement with the upper ends thereof. As shown in these figuresthe ring 11 is provided, for a portion of its inner circumference, withteeth 14 which are engaged by a toothed wheel 15 mounted upon one end ofa shaft 16 rotatably supported upon the wheel in any suitable manner,and having its opposite end 17 squared to be engaged by a wrench orother suitable tool whereby the shaft 16 may be turned. It will thus beunderstood that when it is desired to raise or lower the ground engagingmembers 9 it is merely necessary to apply a suitable tool to the squaredend 17 of the shaft 16 and to rotate. the shaft in the desireddirection.

Referring to Fig. 3 the device is substantially the same as that shownin Fig. l with the exception that the resilient members 8 are notconnected to one another. While in these figures a supporting rod 7 isshown adjacent each spoke of the wheel it will of course be understoodthat the number of supporting .rods and their positions may be varied asdesired without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referrin to Figs. 4 and 5, there is shown an electri'ctilly controlledmeans for turning the ring 11 which reciprocates the supporting rods 7.19 indicates an electro-magnet mounted upon the flanges 6 of the annularmember 5, and having its armature 20 connected to the ring 11. Thismagnet is connected by wires 21 and 22 to contact rings 23 and 24carried by the drum 25 which rotates with the wheel. Bearing upon therings 23 and 24 are contacts 26 and 27 which are electrically connectedwith a two way switch 28 and a source of electrical energy such as abattery 29. A second magnet, (not shown) oppositely disposed withrespect to the ring 11, is mounted upon the member 5 at another pointthereof. It will be understood that by throwing the switch member 40mounted in a recess 41 and normally held in locking position by means ofa spring 42. The locking member 38, which looks the rods in their raisedposition, is

preferably fixed with respect to the flange 6, while the other lockingmember 39 is adjustably mounted on the flange, being provided with aslot 43 adapted to receive and proportioned that when the notch 47receives the locking member 40 in the fixed locking device 38 the rods 7will be in their uppermost position and the ground engagin members intheir inoperative positions. W hen the notch 47 is in engagement withthe locking member 40 in the movable locking device 39 the groundengaging members will be in their operative position. It will thereforebe understood that the position of the ground engaging membersrelatively to the wheel may be adjusted to conform with the tire whichis carried by the wheel, and it will also be understood that the groundengaging members will be locked against movement in their adjustedpositions. If, for example, it isfound that the ground engaging membersdo not engage the ground with sufficient force to prevent skidding it ismerely necessary to move the member 39 to the right (as seen in Fig. 6)a suflicient distance and then to move the ring 45 in an anti-clockwisedirection until the notch 47 engages the locking member 40 in thelocking device 39. p j

In Fig. 6 the resilient members 8 are shown as being provided with asubstantially straight portion 49 adapted tobe secured to the adjacentsupporting rod 7, although it will of course be understood that theforms shown in the other figures could be employed therefor if desired.

Referring to Fig. 7 there is shown a mechanical means for turning thering 11 which means can be controlled by the driver of the vehicle fromthe drivers seat. This means comprises crown gears 50 and 51frictionally mounted in grooves in the drum 25 and normally rotatingtherewith. The gear 50 meshes with a gear wheel 52 mounted on a shaft 53extending radially of the .wheel, and the gear 51 meshes with an idler'54 WlllCh in turn meshes with a gear wheel 55 also mounted on the shaft53. Secured to the outer end of shaft 53 is a gear wheel 56 meshing withteeth on a flange 57 carried by the ring 11. Rods 58 and 59 are providedwith threaded portions engaging a stationary part of the frame 60, andthese rods are adapted to be rotated by suitable levers, not shown,under the control of the driver. These rods are normally maintained outof engagement with the crown gears 50 and 51, but by rotating either ofthe rods in the proper direction it will be moved into engagement withits corresponding crown gear and the pressure exerted by the rod uponthe gear will prevent the latter from rotating with the drum 25. As aconsequence of one of the crown gears being held stationary the gearwheel associated therewith will be forced to rotate about its axis asthe wheel rotates, thereby causing the ring 11 to turn. It will ofcourse be understood that by reason of the idler gear 54 the shaft 53may be rotated in opposite directions depending upon which of the crowngears 50 or 51 is held stationary with respect to the drum.

The operation of the device, which should be largely obvious from theabove description, is as follows When the roads upon which the vehicletravels are in a condition such that there is no liability of skidding,the ground engaging members are held in their raised or inoperativepositions. If,

however, the roads are slippery and there is skidding movement of thevehicle is pre-- vented. Owing to the fact that the ground engagingmembers are resiliently mounted the device will in no way interfere withthe resiliency of the tires and the smoothness with which the vehicletravels will not be affected. By recessing the surface of the groundengaging members their effectiveness is increased as the sharp edgesformed by the recess will easily pass through any mud, ice or the likeand into engagement with the road surface.

Having described this invention in connection with the illustrativeembodiments thereof, to the details of which disclosure the invention isnot, of course, to be limited, what I claim as new, and what is desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:

1. In an antiskidding device, the combination with a wheel, of aplurality of circumferentially spaced radially reciprocable membersmounted upon the wheel, a radially compressible spring associated witheach of said members and having one of its ends secured thereto anddisposed inwardly with respect to its opposite end, a ground-engagingmember carried by the outer end of each spring, and common meansassociated with all of the reciprocable members by which they may beadjusted simultaneously and secured in adjusted position.

2. In an anti-skiddin device, the combination with a wheel, of aplurality of circumferentially spaced radially reciprocable membersmounted upon the wheel, a radially compressible spring associated witheach of said members and having one of its ends secured thereto anddisposed inwardly with respect to its opposite end, an elongatedcircumferentially inclined spring extension connecting the outer end ofeach spring with the inner end of an adjacent spring, a ground-engagingmember carried by the outer end of each spring, and means by which thesaid reciprocable members may be adjusted and secured in adjustedposition.

3. In an anti-skidding device, the combination with a wheel, of aplurality of circumferentially spaced radially reciprocable membersmounted upon the .wheel, a radially compressible spring associated witheach of said members, and having one of its ends secured thereto anddisposed inwardly with respect to its opposite end, a ground-engagmgmember carried by the outer end of each spring, and means by which thesaid reciprocable members may be adjusted simultaneously and secured inadjusted position.

4:. In an anti-skidding device, the combination with a wheel, of aplurality of circumferentially spaced radially reciprocable membersmounted upon the wheel, a radially compressible spring associated witheach of said members and having one of its ends secured thereto anddisposed inwardly with respect to its opposite end, an elongatedcircumferentially inclined spring extension connecting the outer end ofeach spring with the inner end of an adjacent spring, a ground-engagingmember carried by the outer end of each spring, and means by which thesaid reciprocable members may be adjusted simultaneously and secured inadjusted position.

5. In an anti-skidding device, the combination with a wheel, of aplurality of circumferentially spaced radially reciprocable membersmounted upon the wheel, a groundengaging member carriedby each of saidreciprocable members, an annular member mounted upon the wheel forcircumferential adjustment and provided with a plurality of diagonalslots corresponding in position to the said reciprocable members, alateral pin projecting from each of the last-named members forengagement within the corresponding slot of the annular member, andmeans by which the annular member may be adjusted, the said slots of theannular member having their end portions extended circumferentially.

6. In an anti-skidding device, the combination with a wheel and an axlerotatably mounting the wheel, of a plurality of circumferentially spacedradially reciprocable members mounted upon the wheel, a groundengagingmember carried by each ofrsaid reciprocable members, an annular membermounted upon the wheel for circumferential adjustment, means connectingsaid annular member with each reciprocable member whereby the latterwill be reciprocated upon adjustment of the former, stationary operatingmeans mounted upon the said axle, and means carried by the wheel andassociated with the said operating means for causing adjustment of theannular member upon with respect to its opposite end, an elongatedspring extension connecting the'outer end of each spring with the innerend of an ad name to this specification in the presenceof jacentdsgn'ililg, at grourd-gngaglgling membe' two subscribing Witnesses.carrle y t e 011 er en 0 eac sprmg, an means by which the saidreciprocable mem- OLIVER YOUNG 5 bers may be adjusted and secured in ad-Witnesses: justed position. WM. '1. JONES,

In testimony whereof I have signed my JOHN C. SANDERS.

